onsdag 17 juni 2009

The problem of Islam

Moslems have a problem to explain away. When followers of other faiths than Islam practice violence, they are going against the teachings of their religion. But the core texts of Islam, uniquely amongst world religions, preach violence against those who do not follow its teachings.

This would not present a problem if it was clearly and constantly taught that these problematic texts were meant as metaphor, but that is not the case. So when the Iranian government propose passing the death penalty on Muslims who convert to Christianity, and persecute the Bahai for being heretics, they are only following the teaching.

My personal experience of Muslims is that they are seriously mistaken in their ideas about what Christians believe and consequently regard them as idolators or believers in three gods. If they corrected their misconceptions they would find nothing to object to in orthodox Christianity. But living in their cloud of confusion, it is easy for feelings of hatred to brew up.